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9696/21
GEOGRAPHY
Paper 2 Advanced Physical Options
October/November 2010
1 hour 30 minutes
*0351574463*
Additional Materials:
Answer Booklet/Paper
READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST
If you have been given an Answer Booklet, follow the instructions on the front cover of the Booklet.
Write your Centre number, candidate number and name on all the work you hand in.
Write in dark blue or black pen.
You may use a soft pencil for any diagrams, graphs or rough working.
Do not use staples, paper clips, highlighters, glue or correction fluid.
Answer two questions only. Each question answered must be from a different topic.
Sketch maps and diagrams should be drawn whenever they serve to illustrate an answer.
You should make reference to appropriate examples studied in the field or the classroom, even where such
examples are not specifically requested by the question.
All the Figures and the Photograph referred to in the questions are contained in the Insert.
At the end of the examination, fasten all your work securely together.
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
This document consists of 3 printed pages, 1 blank page and 1 Insert.
IB10 11_9696_21/2RP
© UCLES 2010
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UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATIONS
General Certificate of Education Advanced Subsidiary Level and Advanced Level
2
Tropical environments
Only one question may be answered from this topic.
1
(a) With the use of one or more diagrams, explain how nutrients are cycled within the tropical
rainforest ecosystem.
[10]
(b) To what extent does the clearance of natural vegetation always have a damaging affect on
soils in tropical areas?
[15]
2
(a) Fig. 1A shows the relationship between rainfall and vegetation in parts of West Africa.
Fig. 1B shows the average duration of wet and dry seasons in the same area of West Africa.
Explain the variation in rainfall and describe how it affects vegetation.
[10]
(b) Explain the relative contributions of climate, weathering, rock structure and vegetation to the
development of landforms in tropical limestone (karst) areas.
[15]
Coastal environments
Only one question may be answered from this topic.
3
(a) Explain what is meant by high and low energy waves. Describe the effects they have upon the
gradient of beaches.
[10]
(b) Describe the main problems of the management of a stretch or stretches of coastline.
How successfully might these problems be overcome?
[15]
4
(a) Fig. 2 is an extract from a newspaper report on the future of coral reefs.
Explain why coral reefs are thought to be so vulnerable to changes in the oceans.
[10]
(b) To what extent does rock type and structure determine the shape of coastal landforms? [15]
© UCLES 2010
9696/21/O/N/10
3
Hazardous environments
Only one question may be answered from this topic.
5
(a) Describe and briefly explain the main characteristics of tropical storms (hurricanes) and
tornadoes.
[10]
(b) Explain which areas are most at risk from the hazardous effects of hurricanes and tornadoes.
To what extent can their hazardous impact be reduced?
[15]
6
(a) Fig. 3 shows the global distribution of earthquake epicentres.
Describe and explain the distribution of earthquake epicentres shown in Fig. 3.
[10]
(b) Why are earthquakes hazardous? How and to what extent can their occurrence be predicted?
[15]
Arid and semi-arid environments
Only one question may be answered from this topic.
7
(a) Describe and explain the main characteristics of the climates experienced in hot arid and
semi-arid areas.
[10]
(b) Describe the main characteristics of ecosystems found in hot arid areas. To what extent is
there variation from one desert to another?
[15]
8
(a) Photograph A shows some landforms in the Sahara desert.
Using a diagram, identify the landforms in Photograph A and suggest ways in which they may
have been formed.
[10]
(b) Using an example or examples, evaluate the ways in which either arid or semi-arid areas can
be developed in a sustainable manner.
[15]
© UCLES 2010
9696/21/O/N/10
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BLANK PAGE
Copyright Acknowledgements:
Question 2 Fig. 1
Question 4 Fig. 2
Question 8 Photograph A
© G O’Hare & J Sweeney; The Atmospheric System; Oliver & Boyd; 1990.
© Frank Pope, Oceans Correspondent; Great Barrier Reef ‘will be no more within two decades’; The Times; July 7 2009;
http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/pdfs/coralbleaching.pdf 18/9/09.
© Sahara Desert; www.h4ppy.com/blog/uploaded-images.
Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the
publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity.
University of Cambridge International Examinations is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of University of
Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is itself a department of the University of Cambridge.
© UCLES 2010
9696/21/O/N/10